Defending state softball champion Kailua edges Leilehua in OIA quarterfinals

Advertiser Staff

Kailua scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning yesterday to rally past upset-minded Leilehua, 3-1, in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association quarterfinals.

Yesterday's quarterfinal between Castle and Pearl City was rained out and will be made up today at Pearl City at 3:30 p.m. That winner will play at Mililani (11-0) in the other semifinal tomorrow at 3:30 p.m.

Leilehua (8-3) came in as the West's No. 4 seed, but also with a reputation for peaking in the playoffs. The Mules reached the state semifinals two years ago and took third in the OIA last season.

Yesterday, senior right-hander Alexis San Nicolas no-hit Kailua for five innings. Leilehua took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning when Pikake Nutter-Gaudet led off with a double and came home after Deanne Langsi's single and a Surfriders error.

Kailua's offense finally erupted in the sixth, when Chante Wallwork and Erin Guerrero singled with one out and came home on Shyenne Hussey's double. Hussey then scored on Courtney Kessell's two-out single.

"She was in a slump," Surfriders coach Bernard Victor said of Hussey. "But she came through when it counted. All of them came through at the right time."

Kessell pitched a five-hitter with 13 strikeouts and no walks.

The Mules, who lost to Kapolei 10-0 in five innings on Jan. 24 after committing nine errors, played error-free defense yesterday.

"With them, you don't know which team will show up," Victor said. "They played well today."

LEILEHUA (8-3) 000 100 0 — 1 5 0
KAILUA (11-0) 000 003 X — 3 3 4

Alexis San Nicolas and Pikake Nutter-Gaudet. Courtney Kessell and Erin Guerrero. W — Kessell. L — San Nicolas.

Leading hitters: Lei — Nutter-Gaudet 3-3, two doubles; Deanne Langsi 2-3. Kai — Shyenne Hussey double, two RBIs.

• KAPOLEI 2, ROOSEVELT 0: Tajia Acierto pitched a no-hitter with six strikeouts, lifting the Hurricanes into the OIA semifinals.

Roosevelt (8-3) 000 000 0—0 0 1
Kapolei (10-1) 011 000 x—2 8 2

Genoa Aiko and Chevelle Kauahipaula. Tajia Acierto and Jasmin Yoro. W—Acierto. L—Aiko.

Leading hitters: Kapolei—Austi Paris 2-3, double; Amanda Shigetani 2-3, double.

• MILILANI 4, KAHUKU 0: Dana Lee pitched a one-hitter to help the Trojans advance to the OIA semifinals.

Kahuku (7-4) 000 000 0—0 1 3
Mililani (10-1) 210 100 X—4 5 0

Kamaile Hughes and Kawehi Uli'i. Dana Lee and Stacy Sakata. W—Lee. L—Hughes.

Leading hitters: Mili— Ciera Senas 2-4; Melissa Lehano double; Tierra Cuba double.

Reported by Mike Okimoto

ILH

• Punahou 7, HBA/SF/SA 0: Sarah Weisskopf pitched a two-hitter with six strikeouts as the Buffanblu clinched the Interscholastic League of Honolulu's second state tournament berth.

Hawai'i Baptist/St. Francis/St. Andrew's will play University High for the ILH's small-schools title today at Kamehameha at 3:45 p.m.

PUNAHOU (11-3) 011 010 4—7 7 1
HBA/SF/SA (7-7) 000 000 0—0 2 5

Sarah Weisskopf and Kaha Weir. Carolyn Fisher, Brittany Akana(6) and Tiffany Farias. W—Weisskopf. L— Fisher.

Leading hitters: PUN— Shanna-Lei Dacanay 2-4, double; Kelli Ishii 2-run homer; Weisskopf 2-4; Adrienne Tanaka triple.

Reported by Kara Nishimura

• IOLANI 11, SACRED HEARTS 0: Monique Obra and Chelsey Keola combined on a no-hitter as the Raiders ended their season in third place.

Iolani (10-3-1) 070 13—11 9 2
Sacred Hearts (1-13) 000 00— 0 0 0

Monique Obra, Chelsey Keola (5) and Ashley Reinig. Zeshalee Wells, Alison Castellano (4) and Tamieka Trujillo. W—Obra. L—Wells.

Leading hitters: Iolani— Kaz Masutani 2-3, double, HR, 4 RBIs, 2 runs; Keola 2-2, HR, 2 RBIs; Tiff Rodrigues 2-4, RBI.

• UNIVERSITY HIGH 9, MID-PACIFIC 4: Kuulei Padeken led a 15-hit assault with two hits and three RBIs as the Junior Rainbows stayed in contention for the league's small-schools title and a berth in the Division II state tournament.

Mid-Pacific (5-10) 300 010 0—4 5 3
University High (7-7) 330 012 x—9 15 2

Shari Shobu and Miya Quinn. Mandy Yoshizu and Iwalani Yamaguchi. W—Yoshizu. L— Shobu.

Leading hitters: Mid— Jasmine Vieira 2-4, triple, single, run. Univ— Yamaguchi 2-4, run, RBI; Yoshizu 2-4, 2 runs; Cara Hasegawa 2-3, triple, double, 2 RBIs, 2 runs; Kuulei Padeken 2-3, 3 RBIs, run; Reseene Choy 2-3, double; Jessica Ghazali 2-3, double, run, RBI.

Reported by Mark Yoshizu